Retail sales jumped far more than expected in May, up 0.8% vs a consensus estimate of 0.4%. Curiously, bond yields fell.

The Advance Estimate of U.S. Retail and Food Services suggests consumers are spending like crazy.

Advance estimates of U.S. retail and food services sales for May 2018, adjusted for seasonal variation and holiday and trading-day differences, but not for price changes, were $502.0 billion, an increase of 0.8 percent (±0.5 percent) from the previous month, and 5.9 percent (±0.5 percent) above May 2017. Total sales for the March 2018 through May 2018 period were up 5.2 percent (±0.5 percent) from the same period a year ago. The March 2018 to April 2018 percent change was revised from up 0.2 percent (±0.7 percent)* to up 0.4 percent (±0.2 percent).

Retail trade sales were up 0.8 percent (±0.5 percent) from April 2018, and 6.0 percent (±0.5 percent) above last year. Gasoline Stations were up 17.7 percent (±1.6 percent) from May 2017, while Nonstore Retailers were up 9.1 percent (±1.4 percent) from last year.

U.S. Retail Sales Post Biggest Gain in Six Months

Reuters reports U.S. Retail Sales Post Biggest Gain in Six Months.

In May, auto sales rose 0.5 percent after gaining 0.2 percent in April. Receipts at service stations surged 2.0 percent, reflecting higher gasoline prices. Prices at the pump have risen by 15.5 percent this year, according to U.S. Energy Information Administration data. Expensive gasoline, if sustained, could pull spending away from other categories.

Sales at building material stores rebounded 2.4 percent last month after declining 0.8 percent in April. Receipts at clothing stores surged 1.3 percent, the largest gain since March 2017. There were also increases in online retail sales, but receipts at furniture stores fell 2.4 percent, the largest drop since December 2013.

Sales at restaurants and bars jumped 1.3 percent, the biggest gains since January 2017.